The Huilongyuan Cemetery in Pudong New Area will provide free burial service of "life crystal" converted from cremation ashes to promote land-saving and eco-friendly burial, the Shanghai Funeral and Interment Service Center announced yesterday ahead of the Qingming Festival.

Shanghai launched the service of "life crystal" in March 2016, a technology that transforms ashes into particulate matters under high temperatures. The initiative aims to reduce the demand for land for burials because many cemeteries in the city have run a shortfall of land.

The cemetery, the first in Shanghai to provide "life crystal" placement service, will build a system incorporating 4,000 columbaria. In total, it can accommodate the particulate matters of nearly 8,000 bodies and each only occupies 0.0075 square meter.

The service will be available in the second half of this year.

"'Life crystal' is much more eco-friendly and land-saving compared with traditional burial," said Zhou Jingbo, an official with the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau.

The design of the "life crystal" placement system

About 6,000 households in Shanghai have chosen converting the ashes of their beloved into "life crystal" so far, according to the center.

More than 90 percent place the "crystal" at home, while the rest make the particulate matters into jewellery or take them abroad.

However, some families have expressed hope to place the particulate matters at cemeteries, said the center.

"They feel very sorrowful when they see the particulate matters of their beloved at home and could not get rid of the sad feeling in a short time," said Ding Guojun, general manager of the Huilongyuan Cemetery. The placement service is based on a 20-year period.

An app designed by the cemetery will allow families to see the real-time scenes of the cemetery and sweep tombs online, and families are encouraged to avoid crowds during like Qingming and Dongzhi festivals when they pay tribute to their departed relatives to relieve traffic congestion.

Group memorial ceremonies will be held for families who place "life crystal" at the cemetery.

The design of the "life crystal" placement system